Reflexión sobre el evangelio del cuarto domingo de cuaresma por un laíco del Verbo Divino en Argentina.

Mission has been, is and will continue to be for me an unforgettable and unique experience which is ultimately a form of living fully. It is a feeling of happiness and fulfilment that cannot be compared with all the luxuries we have in everyday life.

The word Mission is widely spoken about.

However, people find it difficult to talk about mission in its religious and church context. They think it is archaic or it is an expression of intolerance.

Human trafficking is one of the major problem in the Province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) today. Based on report by Tempo magazine on March 20-26, 2017, there are about 1.2 million illegal NTT workers in Malaysia where 69 percent are women who are vulnerable to trafficking.

Janvikas Society organized an exposure visit on 6th February 2018 to Madhya Pradesh State Cyber Cell (the only one in the whole of the state of Madhya Pradesh) in Indore, for the youth club members from various slums. There were about 80 youth who visited the cyber cell.

Shankarwadi is a settlement near Pump House, Andheri East, Mumbai. Most people living in this settlement are ‘Bhangis’ known as scheduled castes of the schedule caste, who work mainly as scavengers in Municipalities.

Today, 1st of January, the Church celebrates the solemnity of Mary, mother of God. On this day, we celebrate as well, the world day for peace. In his homily this morning during Mass, the Pope Francis called on the world to redouble its efforts for peace.

By: Fr. Mathews koratty, SVD.
Emmanuel, God with us. He is with us sharing our joys and pains…..
Sarva Seva Sangh, Mumbai organized a Christmas celebration with people living with HIV/AIDS along with their family members on 20th December 2004 at St. Arnold’s school hall, Andheri (E). Over a hundred people including their children gathered in the hall by 10 am. Mrs. Meera Barretto, Mrs. Sandra Cranston and team organized various fun games and entertained the gathering for nearly two hours. Everyone continued to enjoy dancing around for another thirty minutes or so until Fr. Mathew Korattiyil shared a short message of Christmas. Many SVD confreres walked in during the celebration to woo the people. Everyone went back home gladly with lots of gifts, lunch box and a supplementary nutrition kit. Many volunteers, St. Arnold’s school and the staff of Sarva Seva Sangh contributed generously towards the success of the celebration with these people who are often excluded by the society.

Christmas Season 2014

Dear Confreres,
Christmas brings back to mind a known phrase of Arnold Janssen, “Because God became a human being, all roads lead to God always via the human being.”

By: Ganie Ehido, SVD.
Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) had crossed the Philippines and fortunately the feared scenario did not happen. At one point, it was reported the typhoon wind speed reached 350 kms per hour, very similar to “Haiyan” but it turned out to be false. Our confreres in Tacloban, in their report, gave a good picture the aftermath of the typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). They said our school building in Tacloban was utilized as evacuation center for around 250 families. The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa Sisters) and their clients sought shelter into our building. One of the children under their care died of cold temperature. The evacuees were given rice and canned goods by the Holy Spirit Sisters. Electricity went out, but promised to restore in a few days’ time. The school now is using a generator which SVD hospital lent.

The typhoon did not come as strong as Haiyan, nevertheless, the winds were powerful enough and moved out very slowly. As a result, our school chapel building was unroofed, including the newly rebuilt walk way near the entrance of the school. At the hospital, some parts were destroyed again. A portion of a wall fell down. Flooding was reported that made moving around temporarily difficult. Fallen trees were numerous. Foods were needed but I guess, by now the general situation is already stable.

As we are still validating some areas where our housing projects were implemented, we can estimate that those houses exposed near the sea or perched on elevated places, could have suffered damages again.

There were no reported massive destruction, numerous deaths or storm surge but it is imagined there were re-traumatizing effect from the rushing winds or surging flood water. Eastern Samar which was worst hit reported thousands of evacuation efforts and damages to houses, infrastructures and farms.

Thanks for the lesson learned from previous calamity, the people and the government are now better prepared. Some government agencies organized distribution of relief materials and food.

Any intervention on our part could very well be collaborated with NGOS and church organizations close to affected areas. In the meantime, we continue to implement unfinished projects intended for “Haiyan” victims – such as housing projects, schools repairs and livelihood programs.

Thank you for prayers!

By: Mathew Korattiyil SVD

  The attached report on the relief and rehabilitation effort for the victims of Yolanda.

The responses and protest actions relating to the mining disputes between indigenous community of Tumbak village in West Flores, Indonesia and a mine company are still going on.

Indore, India: A Street Play was staged at Bhil Paltan, a slum in Indore, on July 16, 2014 as one of the outreach programs of Janvikas Society. Right to Education, Child Labour, life struggles of Rag Pickers and the need for empowerment were the themes dealt in the play.

We launched a large contingent of medical teams that went to towns near Tacloban city to bring healing to the people who have yet to fully rise from the rabbles of super typhoon Haiyan.

Three years ago, as Mission Secretary, I was invited by the bishop of the Prelature of Bocas deI Toro, Panama, CAM Region, to have a mission and a pastoral experience in that place.

Christians in India have been demanding through various means, including taking recourse to law, to strike down the Presidential Order of 1950 which denies equal rights to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin.

Year after year Verbo Filmes produces a DVD for the use of the Campanha da Fraternidade (Brotherhood Campaign) on the occasion of the Lenten Season.

A national body to combat human trafficking has been set up in Brazil as part of a new strategy aimed at tackling the crime; but without much needed changes in the law, slave labor in the country will continue to flourish.

As part of the activities to concretize a response to Laudato Si, a call of the Church to respect Mother Earth, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), The Mission Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), the Catholic Vicariate of Donkorkrom and Ghana Fire Service (Donkorkrom) collaborated to train 40 young people from some parts of Afram Plains.

Agusan del Sur declares a state of calamity because of a non-stop downpour that has displaced almost 10.000 families in 45 villages in Agusan since January ending. In Agusan del Sur, the rains of recent weeks have flooded the entire province, including Surigao del Sur.

Click here to read news from the SVDs in Uganda

“At the back of my mind as a missionary, it is an unwritten mission statement to work with ‘the least, the last and the lost,’”
Bro. Paulino Bongcaras